Outputs
Digest
Cascade Server supports the creation of multiple outputs for content. By setting up additional targets, templates, and configurations for the multiple outputs, Cascade Server can automatically generate and publish multiple versions of the same content. Content need only be updated once, and changes are replicated throughout the additional outputs.
Concept
More Insight on Outputs in Cascade
Cascade Server allows for content to be output in Printer Friendly or .PDF format. The CMS will automatically produce these versions using standard XML transformations via XSL, and are an available viewing option for site visitors.
WML for hand-held or mobile access is an available content output format. The CMS will automatically produce WML using standard XML transformations via XSL.
FAQs
- Can Cascade Server repurpose content for multiple Outputs?
Cascade Server allows for content to be output in Printer Friendly or .PDF format. The CMS will automatically produce these versions using standard XML transformations via XSL, and are an available viewing option for site visitors.
WML for hand-held or mobile access is an available content output format. The CMS will automatically produce WML using standard XML transformations via XSL.
Technical
Creating Multiple Outputs
Cascade Server allows for the addition of multiple outputs for page content. When multiple outputs are configured, any changes to the page content are shown throughout all configurations.
Creating a PDF Output
To create a PDF output:
- In the Administration area, create a new target under the main site target for the new output you are creating. This output should typically be named according to the type of output it represents; in this case it is PDF.
- For the new target, create a new corresponding destination. The transport can remain the same across all outputs.
- Once you have finished creating the new target and destination, return to the Home area and create/upload the appropriate template for the PDF version.
- Attach the new template to its appropriate PDF target. For a PDF output, you will also need to attach a stylesheet to properly style the content. An example is found below.
- Once the new template has been created, it must be assigned to the appropriate configuration set. It is the configuration set that will determine which formats content will be output in.
- In the Administration area, select the appropriate Configuration Set, and add a new configuration for the new PDF output. Additional blocks may also be assigned to the new configuration if desired.
- Now any page that is based on this configuration set will have the additional PDF configuration applied to it.
Sample XSL:FO stylesheet for PDF.
Creating MS Word, WML, and Lite HTML Outputs
To create multiple outputs:
- In the Administration area, create a new target under the main site target for each new output you are creating. These outputs should typically be named according to the type of output they represent, such as MS Word, WMA, etc.
- For each new target, create a new corresponding destination. The transport can remain the same across all outputs.
- Once you have finished creating the necessary targets and destinations, return to the Home area and create/upload the appropriate templates. Each output will have its own unique template.
- As you are creating the templates, attach each template to its appropriate target (the WMA template will be attached to the WMA target, etc.). For some outputs, you may also need to attach a stylesheet to properly style the content.
- Once all the templates have been created, they must be assigned to the appropriate configuration set. It is the configuration set that will determine which formats content will be output in.
- In the Administration area, select the appropriate Configuration Set, and add a new configuration for each output. Additional blocks may also be assigned to each configuration if desired.
- Now any page that is based on this configuration set will have additional configurations applied to it.
Creating RSS Feed Outputs
To create an RSS output:
- In the Administration area, create a new target under the main site target for your new output. Targets should typically be named according to the type of output they represent, so call this one RSS.
- Create a new corresponding destination. The transport can remain the same across all outputs.
- Once you have finished creating the target and destination, return to the Home area and create/upload an RSS template.
- When creating the template, you will have to assign a target. Select your recently created RSS target.
- You will also have to attach a stylesheet to the default region to style the content in RSS format. If you do not have your own stylesheet, try one of the sample stylesheets that come with the default database: /common/stylesheets/output/rss091.
- RSS feeds are typically rendered from index blocks. If you are setting up an RSS feed for only one page on your site, you may assign the index block to the default region at the template level. Otherwise, leave the default block assignment blank, and it will inherit the index block at the page level.
- Once the template has been created, it must be assigned to the appropriate configuration set. It is the configuration set that will determine which formats content will be output in.
- In the Administration area, you can create a completely new configuration set for the RSS feed; or if you are simply adding a feed to existing pages, you may add the RSS configuration to the appropriate configuration set.
- Now any page that is based on this configuration set will have the RSS configurations applied to it.
Creating Multiple Language Outputs
Managing multi-lingual websites is straightforward in the CMS. Please follow these steps:
- Set up a top-level target to represent your site.
- Create child folders to represent the individual languages.
- Create a Configuration Set for each language.
- Manage your content as you would normally, and include a jump menu to switch between languages on the live site.
- Use the multi-lingual workflow to manage content translations in parallel across sites.
Please see the example code that comes with the CMS in the default database for examples of everything outlined above (the /multi-lingual folder). Also, please see our white paper on managing multi-lingual web sites.
Creating Links Between Multiple Outputs
Once you've created multiple outputs for your content, you'll need a way to allow site visitors to select their desired version. To do this, Cascade Server has special system attributes that can be added to templates to create links between the outputs.
To add output links to a template:
- Go to the Home area and browse to the desired template.
- Click the Edit tab.
- Create a standard HTML anchor tag without any attributes for your desired configuration. In order for the system to find the desired configuration, we use the system-page-output attribute with the name of our target matching the target used in the designated configuration. In the XML field, find the place you want the links to appear and insert the following code (modified for the names of your own targets/outputs):
This code represents three link tags, each with a special system attribute that points to a unique target used by the chosen configuration set. The system will automatically remove this attribute and will insert in its place a correct href attribute.
- Click the Submit button to save the template.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
The value of the attribute is the name of the target and should not be confused with the name of the particular configuration. The special system-page-output attribute is only valid for page configurations that are contained within the same configuration set (i.e. an XML configuration from another configuration set has to be linked in a different manner).
If you don’t know where the code should go, just put it after the opening <body> tag. Additionally, these link values can also go into a block or stylesheet in a template region so that only certain pages make them available (e.g. press releases).
Creating Links between Multiple Outputs
Once you've created multiple outputs for your content, you'll need a way to allow site visitors to select their desired version. To do this, Cascade Server has special system attributes that can be added to templates to create links between the outputs.
To add output links to a template:
- Go to the Home area and browse to the desired template.
- Click the Edit tab.
- Create a standard HTML anchor tag without any attributes for your desired configuration. In order for the system to find the desired configuration, we use the system-page-output attribute with the name of our target matching the target used in the designated configuration. In the XML field, find the place you want the links to appear and insert the following code (modified for the names of your own targets/outputs):
This code represents three link tags, each with a special system attribute that points to a unique target used by the chosen configuration set. The system will automatically remove this attribute and will insert in its place a correct href attribute.
- Click the Submit button to save the template.
Additional Notes:
The value of the attribute is the name of the target and should not be confused with the name of the particular configuration. The special system-page-output attribute is only valid for page configurations that are contained within the same configuration set (i.e. an XML configuration from another configuration set has to be linked in a different manner).
If you don’t know where the code should go, just put it after the opening <body> tag. Additionally, these link values can also go into a block or stylesheet in a template region so that only certain pages make them available (e.g. press releases).